Thread: Electric drill bit sharpeners

Originally Posted by BobL

Just after I wrote my last post I went to a hardware store which is not that far from H&F so I popped in to check out their drill $79 bit sharpener and ended up buying it.
Despite being mainly made of plastic it seems reasonably sturdy although I do wonder if the chuck will lasting term - maybe those who have had one for some time can comment.

I've been away up in sunny Cairns for a week so I've lost track, but how did the $79 drill sharpener work out?

Originally Posted by jabell

I've been away up in sunny Cairns for a week so I've lost track, but how did the $79 drill sharpener work out?

see Electric drill bit sharpeners

I purchased a Drill Doctor ($139.99 USD) and its very easy to use. Its actually fun to sharpen several bits when bored.
Home - Drill Doctor

Originally Posted by woodhog

I purchased a Drill Doctor and its very easy to use. Its actually fun to sharpen several bits when bored.
Home - Drill Doctor

Drill Doctor would be nice, but at $400+ vs about $100 for a chinese clone, a stretch too far, and as it turned out, the clone is excellent, and transformed my collection of bits, including old rusty things I inherited but are probably better quality than much of the bits around now, into perfectly sharp bits. Can't ask for more for the price.

Originally Posted by jabell

Drill Doctor would be nice, but at $400+ vs about $100 for a chinese clone, a stretch too far, and as it turned out, the clone is excellent, and transformed my collection of bits, including old rusty things I inherited but are probably better quality than much of the bits around now, into perfectly sharp bits. Can't ask for more for the price.

got a link to the clone?

Originally Posted by havabeer69

got a link to the clone?

$79, and works well. Title doesn't spell it out, but follow this link to the Renegade Drill Sharpener
TradeTools | Huge Range, Great Service

I bought the eBay version, but from Aldi. A total waste of money. I binned it after 3 months of use.

If you intend to sharpen chisels and plane-irons, the plastic guide (even with light lubrication) grabs and wobbles and quickly becomes a PITA.

I guess anything made of light plastic won't be precise - just too much movement and quickly-wearing fittings.

I now have a drill doctor that does an excellent job.

Originally Posted by Knurl

I bought the eBay version, but from Aldi. A total waste of money. I binned it after 3 months of use.
If you intend to sharpen chisels and plane-irons, the plastic guide (even with light lubrication) grabs and wobbles and quickly becomes a PITA.
I guess anything made of light plastic won't be precise - just too much movement and quickly-wearing fittings.
I now have a drill doctor that does an excellent job.

Well my $79 version from TotalTools, which looks from the pictures on ebay to be a little better, though I've not actually seen one of them, works just great, no other word for it, no wobbles, no slop, just works. I have a Swedish Tormak grinder for my chisells and planes, so the drill sharpener is only ever going to do the one thing, sharpen drill bits, and for the money, I got excellent value.

When a bit flute is chipped or snapped and has enough length left. Use a bench grinder to remove get the shape close then then finish with the Drill Doctor or other similar system.

Originally Posted by jabell

$79, and works well. Title doesn't spell it out, but follow this link to the Renegade Drill Sharpener
TradeTools | Huge Range, Great Service

thanks for that, ended up buying one, it turned up surprisingly quick. like 3 days from melbourne to newcastle.

seems ok, tiny bit of a learning curve but seems to get good enough results. will now have to spend an hour or two and touch up all my drill bit sets so i can actually use them again.

Originally Posted by woodPixel

Thanks Bohdan, I just saw those 180 grit on Amazon

Amazing what one can find after a 5 second search! I'm so lazy!


One thought/question, to all, especially those metal heads amongst us.... is there any point (haha) of:

1 - getting the geometry perfect with a machine such as the DD, then
2 - sharpening the tips (edges? word?) by hand using a high grit sandpaper


Just like our blades. It makes sense that a drill bit is nice and sharp, or am I missing something?


(curse this thread, now I feel like going and sharpening all my drill bits this arvo.... )

Not for metal. Maybe for wood. Metal and plastic behave in some ways like a fluid. You don't "cut" them so much as peel off a layer. With timber you are cutting through each fiber individually.

So for metal the bit needs to be "sharp" but razor sharp is a waste of time.